Woman from Chicago area found dead in Texas jail cell

This uncredited YouTube video purports to show Sandra Bland’s arrest in Waller County, Texas, on July 10, 2015. Cannon Lambert, an attorney for Bland’s family, said July 16: “We have little reason to believe it’s not her. We have every reason to believe that it was.” Bland was later found dead in her jail cell from what authorities say was suicide by hanging. Warning graphic language. (YouTube)

This uncredited YouTube video purports to show Sandra Bland’s arrest in Waller County, Texas, on July 10, 2015. Cannon Lambert, an attorney for Bland’s family, said July 16: “We have little reason to believe it’s not her. We have every reason to believe that it was.” Bland was later found dead in her jail cell from what authorities say was suicide by hanging. Warning graphic language. (YouTube)

A 28-year-old woman with ties to the Chicago suburbs was found dead Monday in a Texas jail cell from what authorities say was suicide by hanging.

But while officials say Sandra Bland committed suicide in her cell, an online campaign led by her friends and family is questioning that account.

The woman’s family will hold a news conference in Chicago’s Loop at noon. A news release from a law firm representing the family says, “The family of Sandra Bland is confident that she was killed and did not commit suicide. The family has retained counsel to investigate Sandy’s death.”

Bland was arrested Friday in Waller County, northwest of Houston, by a Texas state trooper and later charged with “assault of a public servant,” according to Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith.

Bland’s family could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis said she was “down from Illinois” and about to start a new job in Texas.

Bland was arraigned after her Friday arrest and held in lieu of $5,000 bond, Smith said.

The county jail has two “tanks” for women, Smith said, and Bland had been placed alone in one of the tanks.

She was given breakfast about 7 a.m. Monday, he said, and she spoke to staff about an hour later about making a phone call.

A female jailer found her about 9 a.m., Smith said.

Paramedics were called and CPR was administered, he said, but she was pronounced dead shortly afterward.

Waller County Sheriff's Office

Sandra Bland, who had ties to the Chicago area, was found dead July 13, 2015, in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas. Authorities say she committed suicide by hanging herself.

Sandra Bland, who had ties to the Chicago area, was found dead July 13, 2015, in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas. Authorities say she committed suicide by hanging herself.

(Waller County Sheriff's Office)

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston performed an autopsy on Bland on Tuesday, with the death ruled a suicide through hanging, according to Tricia Bentley, an institute spokeswoman.

Smith said there was no indication of any issues during Bland’s stay at the jail.

He said Bland had come back down to Texas for a job.

“Any time somebody dies, it’s a tragic deal,” Smith said. “That’s exactly what this appeared to be.”

Bland was pulled over about 4:30 p.m. Friday in Waller County for failing to signal a lane change, said Trooper Erik Burse, a spokesman for the Public Safety Department.

She was outside the car and about to be issued a written warning when she kicked the officer, Burse said, and was then taken into custody.

The first of three men from New York who were accused last spring of trying to use bogus identification to steal cell phones from the Apple store in downtown Naperville has been sentenced to jail for his part in that scheme.

A Facebook page belonging to a Sandra Bland featured a post from Thursday with “#WallerCountyLine.”

“She was a very, very accomplished young lady,” said Rev. James Miller, pastor at DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lisle. “I just hope that the investigation is very comprehensive.”

Bland and her family had been members of the church for about 18 years, Miller said.

Bland went to college on a band scholarship at Texas Prairie View A & M, Miller said.

“She was a commendable, active young adult, and she was a very spirited individual who was prayerful,” Miller said. “We were very encouraged with her being a young adult and active because most times it’s hard to get that population active.”

Miller said he was, and still is, very shocked about what he heard happened to Bland.

“It’s quite a coincident that these events keep happening,” Miller said. “I think that it’s evidence of an unresolved cultural issue of some kind that these young African Americans keep suffering some form of violence at the hands of the authority.”

Texas Rangers, an investigative arm of the state’s Department of Public Safety, have been called in to investigate Bland’s death, according to District Attorney Mathis.

He said the Rangers’ arrival is “typical protocol” for when someone dies in custody.

Burse said the Rangers’ investigation could take from a few weeks to a few months.

Mathis said he had no reason at this point to not attribute Bland’s death to suicide.

“If I receive information that there’s something nefarious going on, or foul play, we will certainly get to the bottom of that,” Mathis said. “I understand there's some disbelief among some friends and family that she would do this to herself. That's why it's very important that the Texas Rangers be allowed to conduct a thorough investigation.”